Fluorescent lamp fixture



Sept. 2l., 1943. J. H. KUHNs 2,329,843

FLUORESGENT LAMP FIXTURE Filed Jan. 13, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 21, 1943. J. H. Kul-:Ns 2,329,843

FLUORESCENT LAMP FIXTURE Filed Jan. 15, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 76 5 Z J l v j l/ Patented Sept. 21, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT f OFFICE. f

2,329,843 t rLUonEscENT LAMP FDTUiiE `lames H. Kuhns, Indianapolis, limi.l g Application January 13, 1942, Serial `No.4f?.6,565 irciaims. (01.240478) This invention relates to electric lighting xtures and particularly to an assembly for iiuorescent tube mounting and light control. A primary object of the invention is to provide a xture wherein one `or more fluorescent tubes may be employed for direct, diffused, or reected light-` ing, all in the absence of or with a minimum use of metal in the fixture. By use of the invention, the customarily employed metallic base and reiiecting shield may be vdispensed with. This is a feature that is of great importance during the present shortage of metal and the high demand for good lighting to promote the maximum possible production of war goods. i

A further primary object of the invention is to provide means for controlling light emittedfrom uorescent tubes to the end that the direct glare may be removed from the normal line of eyesight of individuals inthe vicinity oi the source oi light. A still further primary object of the in. vention is to provide a structure wherein reectors and diffusing devices may be made vout of glass by any suitable mode of production, such as by pressing, molding or forming from iiat sheets. A still further important object of the invention is to provide non-metallic means for supporting the glass members of the ixture, and further to form such means in a mannerremploying the minimum amount of material. i

While reference has above been made to the use of glass, it is within the scope of the invention to employ in the place thereof or in part plastics in the nature of the now well known synthetic resins. Other objects and advantages of the invention, including the ease of assembling and disassembling the structure, particularly for cleaning purposes, the neat and aesthetic appearance of the xtures, and particularly the unique combinations of elements as set forth in the appended '-claims, will become apparent to those versed in the art in the following description o i the invention :as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which 1 Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation inlpartial section of a structure embodying the invention;

Fig. 2, a view in top plan; f i Y Fig. 3, a View in end elevation; Fig. 4, a view in vertical section on the line 4-4 in Fig. 1; 'c -f Fig. 5, a similar View but in modied form; 1 Fig. 6, also a similar view in still further modified form;

Fig. 7, a view in 'elevation from the inside of one offthe. glass` enclosing members shown inthe form embodied in Figs. 1-4; i

Fig. 8, a yView in perspective of a modied for of aglass housing section; I j

Fig. 9, a View in sideelevation in partial section of .a further modified form of the invention;

and A Fig.,10, a view in end elevation thereof.

.Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout theseveral views in the drawings. Referring rst' to that form of the invention as illustrated in Figs. 1 4, a supporting member I0, cruciform in section, is provided with spaced apart. lamp holders Itand I2 .xed in spaced apart relationiin pairs on opposite sides of the depending portion of the member I0, Figs. 1 and 4, and iiuorescent tubes I3 and I4 are interengaged between the respective holders. This member I0 may be' made out of any suitable material, normally. metal,r but in the absence of available metal, may be made out of wood, liber board, or any ofthe suitable well known plastics. The detail yconstruction of these lamp holders II and I 2 are not herein shown since these members are standard parts commercially obtainable.

From the upper face of thev transversely extending wings 'I5 and 'I6 of the member I0 are fixed upwardly extending posts I5, I6 and I I, I 8 respectively on each side of the upwardly extending rib of the holding member I0. The respective pairs oiposts I5, I6 and Il, I8 are spaced apart a considerable distance along the holding member IB.

A glass housing is provided to be formed by -two symmetrical glass members I9, Fig. '7, herein shown in the one particular form as being a curved sheet of glass having holes 20, 2I therethrough near one longitudinal margin of the glass spaced to receive the respective posts I5, I6 or Il, I8, as the case may be, therethrough to have the underside of that margin portion of the member I9 rest upon the transversely extending wing of the supporting member I0, whereby the remainder of that glass member curves outwardly,

downwardly kand around to terminate substan? tially in the central verticalA plane extending through the supporting member I0.

Whilein this particular form of housing the two members I9 may be allowed to abut one anotherpby'their lowerninwardly turned edges, preferably a; molding 22 having an H- sectionis employed whereby the lower marginal edge portions of the ,two members I9 may be frictionally and elastically engaged within the channels of this molding'las best shown in Fig. 4. The support member I0 may be carried by any suitable means, herein shown as by chains 23, 24 attached tothe upwardly extending rib of the supporting member I by any suitable means, such as by the links 25, 26 respectively.

The necessary electrical equipment may be carried by the supporting member I9 either within or outside of the housing formed by the members I9, herein suggested as having the starter member 2'I mounted in the usual manner on one of the lamp holders I2, Fig. 4, and the ballast coil 28 mounted outside of the housing on the upwardly extending rib portion of the supporting member I0, Figs. 1 and 2.

The ends of the housing formed by the mem-V bers I9 may be left open or, if desired to be closed,

glass end plates 29 formed to have a peripheral` margin of the same contour as that defined by the v walls of the combined members I9 may be placed at each end of the holding member I0 and there secured in any suitable manner, herein indicated as by means of screws 3o passing throughthe plate 29 in each instance and engaging with lthe supporting member I0 therebehind. -Each of these glass members I9 may, of course, be given any degree of curvature desired, or may be formed to have flat sections between bends,'all depending upon the particular artistic designdesired. In any event, each glass Amember vISI may be formed to be entirely transparent for` the maximum emission of light in all directions, possible from the two lamps I3 and I4. However, a better distribution of light downwardly is to be had by providing a highly reiiecting surface on the upper portions (either inside or out) of these members I9, for example, over suchareas as indicated by the numeral 3 l This reflecting surface may con sist of an applied enamel but preferably of `the usual silver surface commonly employed for mirrors or highly reflecting surfaces. Whe-re this reflecting surface 3| is provided, the balance o'f the glass wall of the member I9 in each instance may beformed to be entirely transparent, or may have its surface or even its entire wall so constructed as to cause a. diffusing effect of the light. A surface (either inside or outside) of each member I9, for example, below the area 3l may be prof vided with the molded or rolled-in designs commonly employed to make the so-called frosted surface, or this area may be sand-blasted. 11n any event, regardless of how formed, this part of the wall of the member I9 is preferably made'to be of a light diffusing nature. 1

To form the most highly efficient fixture, an additional reflector 32 is provided to have a convex surface presented toward and above the lamps I3 and It. `This reiector 32 is preferably made out of glass to be formed into the indicated shape by any of the well known methods. 'This reflector 32 may be mounted within the housing formed by the members i9 and above the lamps I3 and I4 in any suitable man-ner, preferably car-l ried by the supporting member I9. One particular method of mounting this reiiector i12-vis as follows.V The holding member I0 4is provided with a longitudinal slot therethrough spaced between the undersides of Vthe transversely extending wings of that member and above the levelof the lamps II 4and I2. VThe reflector 32 is inserted through this slot by a longitudinal marginal .edge and pushed around to a Vcentral position whereby, whenthe two glass enclosing members I9 are in closed position, Fig. 4, the vlongitudinal marginal edges of this reflector 32 are in substantial abutment with the innerfaces of those members 49; Obviously the length of the reector 32'i's less than the length of that part of the holding member I0 which extends below its transversely eX- tending wings 'I5 and 16.

The structure so far described provides a complete uoreseent lamp fixture wherein a pair of lamps I3 and I1', are mounted within a glass housing, all without the use of any metal entering into the fixture proper, particularly in respect to the base provided for supporting the lamps and for supporting the reflectors. As above indicated, the holding member ID may be made o-ut of metal if available. In this case it is to be seen that the amount of metal required is reduced to a very small quantity and metal or the other materials suggested may be interchanged depending upon their availability and relative costs. Obviously central portions of the holding member Ii] may even be cut away to reduce the weight of material employed in any case.

n be pulled laterally from its lower side to disengage its marginal edge fromthe molding 22 and then lifted upwardly to disengage it from its respective posts I5, I `or Il, i8 depending upon whichmember i9 is first removed. The reector 32, although simply inserted through the holding member IU, remains in position. In the same manner the other section I9 of the housing may be removed, or both sections maybe removed; The particular means for mounting these sections I9 as above described cause the two sections to tendY to swing inwardly one toward the other by their lower ends so that the two sections normally remain in fixed positions when one abuts the other through the molding 22 without-having to use any other additional means. l i

In some instances, the two sections of the glass housing about the `lamps I3 and la may be so formed as to be left open from their undersides, such as is indicated in Fig. 5. In this form, the two sections 33 and 34 constituting the shielding and side reflecting surfaces are arcuate glass sections supported entirely by hanging from .the transversely extending wings of the supporting member Ill, and maintained thereon as before by the posts I5, I6 on the one side and II, I8 on the other. The glass reflector 32 may be used as before and-in this case, its outer` longitudinal edges may further serve as supporting means against which the members 33 and 34 may swing `and `be supported. In the same manner the members 33 and -34 may be selectively formed to be transparent, translucent, an upper portion of a highly light reiiectingjcharacter and the lower portion of a light diffusing character or any combination thereof., This form of the inventicnwould be used where the maximum jpossible radiation of. light from the lamps I3 and I4 is desired, particularly in a downward direction.

Other means for supporting the sections formingV the yreflector and rinclosing` members about the lamps I3 and I4 may be empioyed, one ,other such means being indicated in Fig. 6 wherein the same styleiof. vsupporting member ID is 'indicated. In this instance, however, the upper marginal edges of the two housing members 35 and 36 .are curved .upwardly to engage within slots opening downwardly and provided :along each side of the upwardly extending vpart ofthe member l0. In the .form shown in Fig. 6, brackets 31 and 38 are attachedon opposite sides of the upper part of the member I IU to -fo'rm suchslots between'lthat member liand outwardly spaced lower edges of the brackets 31. an'd'38. The housing'members 35 and '36 are respectively mounted on the member I0 by rst engaging the upturned-edges thereof within those sockets and then swinging the glass members downwardlyto allow 'them to swing toward each other by their lower ends. Obviously the same type of mounting may be employed for the form-of housing members shown in Fig. 5. 1

The foregoing description has' been made in reference to housing members having open ends, and requiring separate end closures if desired. Referring to Fig. 8,*'a housing memberv 39 may be formed with integral closures 40 and 4I by. any suitable means, such as by molding. In this case a top rib 42 may also be molded along the member 39 for engagement in that formof support as shown in Fig. 6 and holes 43, IM may be provided along the top marginal edge portion for mounting as in the rst describedform. In any event, it is obvious that these lamp housing sections may be formed in any desired manner, such as by pressing them into shape, molding, or forming them from original flat sheets.

Some of the fluorescent lamps are mounted between parallel end walls and where such a type of mounting is desired ormay be necessary," a structure such as indicated inFigsfQ and 10 may be employed. In this form of the invention, a support member t5, made out of any suitable material and having an inverted T-section, is formed to the desired length and is provided with two spaced apart downwardly extending end brackets d5 and Al. Lamp holders 48 and 49 are xed'on the inner opposing faces of these respective brackets 46 and 41 to receive the lamp 59 therebetween. Then, as above described, the reflector housing members may be mounted above and around the lamps 59 to have the upper ends of those reector members engaged by means supported by the outwardly extending flanges of the support member d5, shown in this particular instance as being posts 5I and 52 mounted thereon for the reiiector engagement. The internal central convex reflector 32 may be employed in this structure as well as in the `other structures above defined by supporting it by its ends on brackets 53 and 54 extending inwardly from the opposing faces of the lamp brackets 46 and 4l. In regard to the question of ventilation, that ,situation is taken care of amply where the ends of the housing members are left open. Howeven when the closed end structure is employed, the central supporting member Il), assuming in effect in general a back bone of the fixture may bel cut away in central portions at least between thel upper marginal edges of the members I9 to leave one or more air passageways. Referring to Figs. land 2, for example, slots 55 may be formedto extend entirely through the vertically disposed part of the member Ill to extend above and below the upper marginal edges of the housing members I9. When the reflector -32 is employed, heat may escape along a current of air discharging around either or both ends of the reflector 32 within the closed end members I9, which current may fiow across the upper side of the-reflector and escape through the upper portions of the openings 55 which open to the atmosphere above the top sides of the members I9.

It is therefore to be seen that by the structures herein disclosed, a very simple but eicient fluorescent lamp fixture is provided"thatm'aybeA made` up' to have a wide range' of designs inre spect to the shape ofthe refiectors and housing. While the members I9 have herein b'eenshown as being co-extensive in length with the over-all length of the fixture in general, obviously these, members I9 may be ``made in shorter lengths, one to abutthe other, so that in case of breakage, one member section may be replaced withouthaving to replace the entire side. The structure is very easily assembled and disassembled and mosty importantly, avoids the use of any extended area of metal that has heretofore been employed as a reecting surface-and as an upper housing in particular. y f Y Therefore while the invention has been-J described in more or less precise detail, it is obvious that many structural changes may be employed without departingv from the spirit of the inven-` tion and I therefore do not desire to be limited to that precise form beyond the limitations as may be imposed by the following claims.

I claim:

l. A lamp fixture comprising an elongated skeleton frame member having oppositely, out-;

wardly, laterally extending wings therealong, lampsupportingmeans carried by said frame, a two-part, longitudinally divided lamp housing, each of said housing parts having an upper inturned marginal portion to overlap and rest respectively on the top sides of said wings to have the major portion of each housing part extend; outwardly and downwardly'therefromtending to rock over said wings one toward the other, and` stop means carried by said frame to engage said housing part portions kabove said wings to form a limitingV stop against outward travel of said portions and to limit the degree of downward rocking of the housing parts, over the edges of said wings, f i 2. A lamp fixture comprising an elongate skeleton frame member having oppositely, laterally extending wings therealong, lamp supporting means carried by said frame, a two-part, longitudinally divided lamp housing,v each of said housing parts having an upper inturned marginal portion to overlap and rest respectively onthe top sides of said wings to have the major` portion of each housing part extend outwardlyA and downwardly therefrom tending to rook over said wings one toward the other, stop means carried by said frame to engage said housing part portions to limit positively the degree of downward rocking of the housing parts, and removably retain said portions on said wings, andanI elongated reflector carried by said frame `below said wings with longitudinal edges parallel in longitudinal directions with the housing parts and spaced to abut substantially the inner opposing faces of said housing parts above the lower edges of the housing parts.

3. A lamp fixture comprising an elongated' skeleton frame member having oppositely, laterally extending wings therealong, lamp support' ing means 'carried by said frame, a two-part,` longitudinally divided lamphousing, each of said housing parts having an upper inturned marginal portion to overlap and rest respectively on the top sides of said wings to have the major portion' .portions on said wings, and an elongatedre-v fieotor carried by said frame below said wings with. longitudinal edges parallell in longitudinal, directions with the housing. parts and spaced to abut substantially the inner opposing faces of said housing parts above the lower edges of the housing parts; said reflector being mounted to be abovethe position of a lamp carried by the frame and having a, convex under surfacelA t 4, A lamp xture comprising an elongated skeleton frame member having oppositely, outwardly, laterally extending wings therealong, lamp supporting means carried by said frame, a two-part, longitudinally divided lamp housing, each of said housing parts having an `upper inturned marginal portion to overlap and rest respectively on the top sides of said wings to have the major portion of each housing part extend outwardly and downwardly therefrom tending to roel: over said wings one toward the other, and stop means carried by said frame to engage said housing part portions above said wings to form a limiting stop against outward travel of`.said portions and to limit the degree of downward rocking of the housing parts, over the edges of said wings; said stop means comprising slots open from their under sides only above inner portions of said wings, and lips along said housing part marginal portions upturned to enter said slots.

5. A lamp fixture comprising an elongated skeleton frame member having oppositely, outwardly, laterally extending wings therelong, lamp supporting means carried by said frame, a twopart, longitudinally divided lamp housing, each of said housing parts having an upper inturned marginal portion to overlap and rest respectively on the top sides of said wings to have the major portion of each housing part extend outwardly and downwardly therefrom tending to rock over said wings one toward the other, and stop means carried by said frame to engage said housing part portions above said wings to form a limiting stop against outward travel of said portions and to limit the degree of downward rocking of the housing parts, over the edges of said wings, said stop means comprising posts upturned from said Wings to extend through holes provided in said housing part marginal portions.

6. A lamp xture comprising an elongated skeleton frame member having oppositely, laterally extending wings therealong, lamp supporting means carried by said frame, a two-part, longitudinally divided lamp housing, each of said housing parts having an upper inturned marginal portion to overlap and rest respectively on the top sides of said wings to have the major portion of each housing part extend outwardly and downwardly therefrom tending to rock over said wings one toward the other, stop means carried by said frame to engage said housing part portions to limit positively the degree of downward rocking of the housing parts, and removably retain said portions on said wings, and an elongated reflector carried by said frame below said wings with longitudinal edges parallel in longitudinal directions with the housing parts and spaced to abut substantially the inner opposing faces of said housing parts above the lower edges of the housing parts, said reflector being laterally shiftable between said housing parts whereby said parts may be centralized by lateral shifting of the reilector.

'7. A lamp xture comprising an elongated skeleton frame member having oppositely, laterally extending wings therealong, lamp supporting means carried by said frame, a two-partlb longitudinally divided lamp housing each of said housing parts having anupper inturned man` ginal portion to, overlap and rest respectively on the top'vsides of said wings to `have the majory portion oli each housing part extend outwardly. and downwardly therefrom. tending to rock over said wing-s one toward the othen and stop means carried by Said frame to engage said housing part portions to limit positively the degree ofy downward rocking of the housing parts, and removably retain said portions; on said wings, said frame member being substantially cruciform in cross-section in parts at least, whereby said wings iorm the cross bar'of the cross and the vertical portion thereof forms mounting means above and said lamp supporting means below said wings.

8. A lamp xture comprising an elongated skeleton frame member having oppositely, laterally extending, wings therealong, lamp supporting means car-ried by said frame, a two-part,J

longitudinally divided lamp housing, each of said.

housing parts having an upper inturned marginal portion to overlap and rest respectively on the top sides of said wings to have the maior portion of each housing part extend outwardly and downwardy therefrom tending to rock` over said wings one toward the other, and stop means carried by said frame to engage said housing part portions to limit positively the degree of downward rocking of the housing parts, and removably retain said portions on said wings, said frame member being substantially eruciform in cross-section in parts at least, whereby said wings form the cross bar of the cross and the vertical portion thereof forms mounting means above land said lamp supporting means below said wings, and said frame member being provided with a Ventilating slot through said vertical portion, said slot extending across and opening above and below said wings.

9. A lamp iixture comprising an elongated skeleton frame member having oppositely, laterally extending wings therealong, lamp supporting means carried by said frame, a two-part, longitudinally divided lamp housing, each of said housing parts having an upper inturned marginal portion to overlap and rest respectively on the top sides of said wings to have the major portion of each housing part extend outwardly and downwardly therefrom tending to rock over said wings one toward the other, stop means carried by said frame to engage said housing part portions to limit positively the degree of downward rocking of the housing parts, and removably retain said portions on said wings, and a lamp `reflector extending longitudinally of said frame member and thereunder, said lamp supporting means serving also to carry said reflector. 10.*A lamp `fixture-comprising an elongated Skeleton frame member having oppositely, laterally extending wings therealong, lamp supporting means carried by said frame, a two-part, longitudinally divided lamp housing, each of said housing parts having an upper inturned marginal portion to overlap and rest respectively on the top sides 0i `saidfwings to have the major portion of each housing part extend outwardly and downwardly therefrom tending to rock over said wings one toward the other, stop means carried by Said frame .t0 engage said housing part portions to limit positively the degree of downward rocking of the housing parts, and removably retain said portions on said wings, said marginal edge portions resting on the cross arm 10 of said backbone, means for mounting a fluorescent lamp on the backbone part below the cross arm, said part being transversely slotted above said mounting means, and a reflector inserted through said slot to extend laterally from each side of said part toward the walls of said housing, whereby said walls limit shifting of the reflector 'through said slot. 4

JAMES H. KUHNS. 

